Why were arrests made in connection with Matthew Perry’s death?

The death of Matthew Perry shocked fans around the world – and sparked a months-long investigation.

The Beloved Friends The actor died of an accidental drug overdose on October 28, 2023. An autopsy later revealed that Perry had died from the acute effects of ketamine, in addition to other factors such as drowning, coronary artery disease, and the effects of buprenorphine, a drug used to treat opioid use disorder.

More than six months after his death, the Los Angeles Police Department conducted an official investigation into how the actor obtained the ketamine after the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office completed its investigation in December 2023.

On August 15, five people – including two doctors and Perry’s personal assistant – were arrested in connection with the actor’s death.

Jasveen Sangha – dubbed the “ketamine queen” by U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada – and Dr. Salvador Plascencia are both currently charged in the case, the Justice Department said. Perry’s assistant Kenneth Iwamasa has also been charged – and has already pleaded guilty – alongside Erik Fleming and Dr. Mark Chavez, according to the Justice Department.

“These defendants exploited Mr. Perry’s addiction issues to enrich themselves,” Estrada said. “Ultimately, these defendants were more interested in profiting from Mr. Perry than in caring about his well-being.”

Here’s a complete timeline of the investigation into Matthew Perry’s death and why five people are facing trial over it.

October 28, 2023: Matthew Perry dies of an accidental drug overdose

Perry was found dead in his Los Angeles home at the age of 54.

“We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother,” his family said in an exclusive statement to PEOPLE. “Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and as a friend. You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous love you have shown us.”

An LAPD spokesperson told PEOPLE that emergency responders arrived on scene at around 4:07 p.m. and found an “adult male patient” who had already died. “The patient was found by a passerby who had positioned the victim in a freestanding hot tub so that his head was above the water.” Firefighters on scene pulled Perry out and determined he was dead.

December 2023: Matthew Perry’s cause of death confirmed

Two months later, Perry’s cause of death was announced in an autopsy conducted by PEOPLE. 17 Again The actor died from the acute effects of ketamine. Drowning, coronary heart disease and the effects of buprenorphine were also cited as contributing factors. The death was ruled an accident.

According to the autopsy, Perry was “reportedly clean for 19 months” and was receiving ketamine infusion therapy, with his last treatment occurring “a week and a half” before his death.

However, his last treatment did not contribute to his death, as the coroner noted that “the half-life of ketamine is 3 to 4 hours or less.”

January 9, 2024: The investigation into Matthew Perry’s death is officially closed

A few weeks later, the LAPD confirmed to PEOPLE that it would no longer investigate Perry’s death. The Los Angeles County Coroner also confirmed that the case was “closed.”

May 21, 2024: The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the circumstances of Matthew Perry’s death

Although the LAPD announced the conclusion of its investigation in January, new investigations came to light just four months later. As part of this investigation, the LAPD worked with the California branch of the Drug Enforcement Administration to determine the source of the ketamine that led to Perry’s death.

At that time, the authorities had conducted several interrogations, but no arrests had been made.

June 25, 2024: A law enforcement source tells PEOPLE that “multiple people” should be charged in connection with Matthew Perry’s death

While the investigation was ongoing, a law enforcement source told PEOPLE that it was “nearing completion” and police believe “multiple people” should be charged.

However, the source added that the final decision on whether to file charges rests with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. That same day, prosecutors responded to PEOPLE’s request for comment with “no comment.”

August 15, 2024: Matthew Perry’s personal assistant and doctors are arrested for his death

On August 15, five people were arrested in connection with Perry’s death, including his personal assistant Kenneth Iwamasa. The first two defendants in the case were Jasveen Sangha – dubbed the “ketamine queen” by U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada – and Dr. Salvador Plascencia.

Sangha is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine, one count of maintaining drug-related premises, one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, one count of possession of ketamine with intent to distribute and five counts of distribution of ketamine, the Justice Department said.

Plascencia, a licensed physician, was charged with conspiracy to distribute ketamine, while the three other defendants – Iwamasa, Erik Fleming and Dr. Mark Chavez – were charged separately.

According to the Justice Department, Fleming pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine and distribution of ketamine resulting in death, while Chavez will plead guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine.

Iwamasa pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine resulting in death after he “repeatedly” injected Perry with ketamine “without medical training,” including on the day Perry died, according to the Justice Department.

The former assistant and Fleming face 15 to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty, while Chavez faces up to 10 years in prison. If found guilty, Sangha will serve a minimum of 10 years in prison and a possible life sentence.

Estrada claimed that the five defendants “exploited” Perry for their own “profit.”

According to the Justice Department, Plasencia allegedly contacted Chavez — who was also a doctor and had previously operated a ketamine clinic — to obtain the substance he planned to sell to Perry. In text messages to Chavez, Plasencia allegedly discussed how much to charge Perry for the ketamine, saying, “I wonder how much this idiot is going to pay” and “Let’s find out,” the Justice Department alleged.

The lawyer also claimed that the defendants were aware of the negative impact their decisions would have on Perry’s health. Estrada claimed that prosecutors found text messages in which Sangha wrote, “I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t have the chance to make money from it.”

After Perry’s death, the defendants attempted to “cover up” their involvement, Estrada claimed, adding that Sangha allegedly wrote in a text message to another defendant: “Delete all our messages.”

August 16, 2024: Matthew Perry’s stepfather Keith Morrison hopes for “justice”

A day after federal investigators announced their charges, Perry’s stepfather, Keith Morrison, expressed gratitude to law enforcement for their investigation and said he hoped “justice” would be served.

“Matthew’s death broke our hearts, but it helped us to know that law enforcement took his case very seriously,” said the Date line correspondent, said in a statement to PEOPLE on behalf of the Morrison family. “We look forward to seeing justice take its course, and we are grateful for the extraordinary work of the various agencies whose agents investigated Matthew’s death.”

Morrison continued: “We hope that the unscrupulous suppliers of dangerous drugs get the message.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please call the SAMHSA Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP